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MMM vs. NDSN: 3M vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

How do 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but MMM is classified in Industrial Conglomerates while NDSN is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile ItemMMMNDSN
Name3M CompanyNordson Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization95.67 billion USD17.26 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962March 18, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MMM
NDSN
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Total Return (1Y)16.26%40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.64%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.14%5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MMM
NDSN
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.61%23.53%
Beta (5Y)0.970.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.86%-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.14M381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MMM and NDSN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.431.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.702.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 72.97% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

72.97%

MMM
72.97%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
NDSN
17.76%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both 3M (MMM) at 14.01% and Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

14.01%

Max
27.47%
MMM
14.01%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

18.63%

Max
27.47%
NDSN
18.63%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 23.69% and Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.69%

Max
36.60%
MMM
23.69%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

27.40%

Max
36.60%
NDSN
27.40%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
ROE (TTM)72.97%17.76%
ROA (TTM)8.22%8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)14.01%18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.69%27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.53%55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while 3M (MMM) at 1.52% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both 3M (MMM) at -20.53% and Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.52%3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.57%2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)-20.53%4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-16.16%-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while 3M (MMM) at 1.41 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for MMM.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.41

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
MMM
1.41
Min
0.36

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.82

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
NDSN
1.82
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while 3M (MMM) at 3.04 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.04

MMM
3.04
Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
NDSN
0.56
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.411.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)3.040.56
Net Debt / EBITDA1.261.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 1.64% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MMM the richer one.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.64%

Max
2.66%
MMM
1.64%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.06%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
NDSN
1.06%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 45.82% and Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

45.82%

Max
67.39%
MMM
45.82%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

33.20%

Max
67.39%
NDSN
33.20%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.64%1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.82%33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 27.63 and Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

27.63

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
MMM
27.63
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

31.36

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
NDSN
31.36
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 3.79 and Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.79

Max
7.54
MMM
3.79
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.79

Max
7.54
NDSN
5.79
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Nordson (NDSN) at 5.28 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and 3M (MMM) at 23.18 prices even higher, above its industry range.

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.18

MMM
23.18
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.28

Max
9.66
NDSN
5.28
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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3M (MMM) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for 3M (MMM) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricMMMNDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)27.6331.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.795.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)23.185.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.66%3.56%